


not so fast, very much furious

by v1tri0l



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - No Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Car Accidents, Crushes, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Secret Crush, angst here and there, maybe ooc? i hope not.., ohh the irony of the ultimate mechanic getting into a car accident, soda is spelt as souda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26440954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/v1tri0l/pseuds/v1tri0l
Summary: kazuichi gets his car hit by another, and now has to fight back his crush, all while he figures out compensation with the other driver.
Relationships: Soda Kazuichi & Tanaka Gundham, Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 16
Kudos: 97





	1. "who hit it?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> unfortunate things happen to unfortunate people. kazuichi is said unfortunate people.

Driving was enough to send Kazuichi's mind into a flurry. Another car ramming into him merely pushed him over the edge.

So, Kazuichi was there, bent over with a hand sprawled out onto his newly-damaged Kia Spectra. Well, 'ramming' was an overstatement, but for Kazuichi and his motion sickness he might as well have been left spinning in a hamster wheel. And, _oh, God_ , there comes said sickness again. He lurched forward as a surge of pain hit his head.

The stranger stared at him, mouth sealed. Kazuichi was thankful they hadn't said anything yet. When his car abruptly spun to the left, Kazuichi pulled over and stomped out of his car, but immediately stopped upon seeing the other driver. Like Kazuichi, they had their mouth open as if ready to yell, though didn't say anything. They had a few inches on Kazuichi, and, naturally, had the fires of frustration crackling in the white of their eyes. Kazuichi felt the same frustration, if not more—hell, _he was the one who got his car's ass handed to him_ —yet he kept quiet in the taller stranger's presence. They were towering over him, looking even bigger as they stood out amongst their dark-coloured clothing. This entire person radiated mysteriousness and that only scared Kazuichi into silence further.

(Thankfully, his motion sickness had provided a reason to not say anything.)

Kazuichi could still feel the burn of the stranger's stare, though, almost as much as the burn in his head. He'd have to talk eventually; if not, the fury in him would explode. So, Kazuichi turned to the stranger, crookedly bent over as he tried to ignore the buzz.

'What the _fuck_ , man?'

The stranger's eyes widened. 'What do you mean? Were you not the one who crossed into my lane? Your vehicle merely received repercussions for trespassing into the fiery path to the underworld.'

'What are you _talking about_? I wasn't even driving that fuckin' fast!' Kazuichi spluttered, his fear dissipating as soon as the stranger spoke. Sure, their voice was deep, but it could've been much scarier if they didn't speak like a novel in the 18th century.

'It is not my fault my vehicle crossed paths with yours,' the stranger said. They turned towards their own car, pointing at it. 'Mine has suffered the damages for your foolish choice, too, fiend!'

Kazuichi's heart dropped. It wasn't because of the glossy, bent wall of the Toyota Camry. No, rather, it was the harm his own car had suffered. While the stranger blabbered on about whatever, Kazuichi felt anxiety rising in him at the thought of his dad's reaction.

While he could fix the car easily, their family's resources were depleting quickly and he had simply no time to do it. Not to mention, this _was_ the family car, and his dad always had places to be. His dad already wasn't nice on the Spectra's best days.

Kazuichi hoped his busy schedule would keep him out of his dad's way.

'Are you even listening?' the stranger shouted. Kazuichi blinked blearily at them, before gasping.

_I gotta pay compensation, too._

He knew he should've kept his mouth shut. Kazuichi couldn't hope for any mercy now—this person was gonna make him pay the full price. Literally.

'Shit,' Kazuichi breathed through gritted teeth. He didn't understand why the stranger in front of him kept rambling, as if their car didn't shine with its glossy walls compared to the rusted ones of his (of course, the rust wasn't his fault, but you only have so many options when buying secondhand). In fact, everything about the stranger seemed sleek, with his vibrant scarf and fully-intact clothing. In contrast, Kazuichi's jumpsuit was splattered with oil stains and reeked of petrol, if not the otherwise ancient smell of it. His cheeks began to burn up.

Before he could process his certain doom more, a screen was shoved into his view. There it was; the unfortunate layout of an empty contact.

'Sinners must pay for their sins!' the stranger said, pointing a finger at the section labelled 'Name'.

'Hey, who even decided it was my fault?' Kazuichi snapped. The stranger retracted their phone at this remark, and Kazuichi saw this as his cue to continue. 'Like I said before, I wasn't even driving that fast! How the hell did you hit me?'

'Simply put, I did not hit you. You hit me.'

'Your car was behind mine! I wasn't even driving backwards!'

'My vehicle was besides yours!' The stranger's tone was beginning to rise, and so was Kazuichi's desperateness. They, exasperated, placed two fingers to their temple. 'Mortal, just give me your number, so I may summon you on a later date. Other places request my presence.'

_Great_ , another problem. Kazuichi had forgotten about the growing dark haze that surrounded the two and their cars. Kazuichi was due to be home by now, preparing for another day at work, and instead he was arguing with some random. As much as he wanted to push his innocence, his own time was running out.

'My name is Kazuichi Souda,' he sighed. The stranger began typing, each letter a stern, robotic jab onto the screen. They looked up at him expectedly, and Kazuichi gave them his number. In turn, he learnt the stranger's name—Gundham Tanaka. As reluctant as he felt, he inputed Tanaka's name and number into his own phone and got back into his car. Sulkily, may he add, crossing his arms as he fell into his crumpled seat.

Waiting until after he heard Tanaka's car's engine rev up and fade away, he got out of his car again. Once again, he overlooked the destruction caused and sighed for the fifteenth time that night. He wouldn't be able to drive; his tires had already flattened during their argument, and he didn't have any spares with him. It was going to be a _long_ night.

A thought prodded at the back of his mind. _This is the first time you've ever gotten someone's number._

Kazuichi wanted to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> awoooooOOOOOO HELLO
> 
> even tho my fav boy is gundham i literally struggle to write him already but either way. big kith for him
> 
> ANYWAY see yall soon if im inspired and not busy w schooll....


	2. "ocean drive"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gundham needs some steering in the right direction, both literally and metaphorically.

Gundham was driving home when a strange feeling stirred in him. He sat stiff with his hands tight on the driving wheel. No matter what he thought, he couldn't let loose.

He had brushed the feeling off as shock, but, as the Dark Lord, he realised it wasn't that. Gundham Tanaka wasn't scared _that_ easily. After all, he'd been through hell and back. He'd seen the earth quiver at the claws of demon bulls, and the sky crumble under the weight of gargoyle birds. A mishap with a simple vehicle wouldn't, and _didn't_ , get to him.   
  
So, why was it that his heart sunk?  
  
He was already away from the scene of the accident. As it was late at night, Gundham didn't wish to immediately pursue compensation and had decided to go home. His vehicle wasn't totally broken. From what he observed, the damage was mere scratches that revealed his mobile's inner shield. Nothing that couldn't be fixed.  
  
A squeak cut through Gundham's brooding. His eyes snapped left, and there was San-D, angrily swatting at Maga-Z. His Dark Devas each had a mini booster seat for when he drove, and Maga-Z was beginning to squeeze out of his. Gundham had known his Dark Devas would grow restless, being put directly next to each other, yet he had been so busy thinking he didn't notice they were already feeling as such. Territorial warfare was inevitable.  
  
'San-D! Now is not the time for such insignificant squabble! We must halt this battle,' Gundham chided.  
  
_Honk!  
  
_ Gundham swerved his car around another. He pulled his gaze back to the road and waited for his Devas' squealing to calm; that was almost his _second_ car accident. Yet, it did not create the same emotion within him as earlier. The feeling reminded him of when he'd patrol taigas to find creatures of snow—it was cold, it was rigid, and it was unrelenting. Of course, Gundham was always successful in his patrols, so he was going to be as such again.  
  
Gundham picked up his phone and, skimming through them, pressed hard on a contact. His Devas watched as he raised the device to his ear. There was only one person he could confide in, and that person was a sorcerer of the mind.  
  
'My Dark Lady? Is your being without the strain of this mortal world?'  
  
'Gundham! What are you doing up so late?' the Dark Queen asked, her voice high.  
  
'Something bizarre has happened,' Gundham started. 'To start, my mobile had an altercation with another.'  
  
'You... got into a car accident?'  
  
'Yes, it would appear that way.'  
  
'Oh my, Gundham! Are you alright?'

Gundham began to explain what had happened. As expected, Sonia's tone filled with more concern as he kept talking, and she abruptly cut him off.

'Did anyone get hurt?'

Gundham moved his device so that it was coddled in between his shoulder and ear. He placed his now-free hand back on the wheel before he continued. Although, he had to ponder. The miscreant from earlier appeared unscathed, apart from his disgruntled attitude—Gundham would never understand such trivial moods. Even the mortal's hair was spiked up, perhaps from the fear Gundham's existence brought onto perishable souls. _It is to be expected._

'No, no one got hurt.'

'That's good,' Sonia sighed. 'How are you getting home? Do you need me to pick you up?'

'It is alright, I am already in my vehicle to return back to my chambers.'

'So I assume the damage wasn't that bad?'

'I guess. These scratches are unsightly, however.'

'What about the other boy?'

'He has remained unharmed as well.'

Silence overtook the call. When Gundham was about to speak again, Sonia beat him to it:

'How is he getting home?'

This time, Gundham fell quiet.

'You didn't leave him alone at the road, did you?' Sonia pressed, and even though she wasn't physically present, Gundham could see her raising her eyebrows. The mortal had gone into his mobile; that was all Gundham had seen before he departed. That would tell that the boy might've gone to travel to whatever realm.

Though, the vehicle was rendered useless, with its crumbling wheels. As Gundham's belongings were far past mortal strength, he had also created a swallowing dent within the car's wall. _Oh no._

'Maybe.'

That elicited a sigh from the Dark Lady. Gundham reached for his scarf (with a hand still on the wheel) and fiddled with it, awaiting her next words. He knew he wouldn't like what she was going to say.

'Gundham, you need to go back and help him!'

There it was. The outrageous command to swallow his own pride and assist a puny _mortal_. Gundham exhaled, pulling his mobile over to turn around, and Sonia made a small sound of acknowledgement.

_The Dark Lady must know more than what she lets on_ , he realised as the strange feeling in him dwindled. It wasn't that he doubted Sonia, instead it further proved she was, in fact, a sorcerer of the mind. He let go of his scarf to focus on the dark paths he had taken earlier.

'I will talk to you later then, Gundham,' Sonia said. 'Stay safe! Please don't put yourself into any danger!'

_Click._

It was only Gundham and the roads again. At the sound of Sonia hanging up, the Dark Devas began to talk amongst themselves once more. Gundham, on the other hand, didn't make a sound as he grew closer to the scene of the accident. There it was; the vehicle the pink-haired anomaly had run up his backside. Gundham slowed down, careful to not let the car's driver bear witness to him. Even he, the Forbidden One, was caught off-guard by its presence. It had been around an hour since Gundham had left, yet here was the car, as if it was waiting patiently for its owner.

Said owner was in the car, curled up in his seat and legs glued to his chest. Gundham shook his head as he parked—did this human have nothing better to do?

Gundham had no will to justify the other's behaviour, even when he exited his mobile and passed a set of torn wheels. (The strange feeling shot right back up at the sight of them.)

When he came close enough, he rapped the damaged car's window. The driver inside flinched before snapping his head towards Gundham. Gundham could barely see the boy, with shadows masking his face and surroundings, though he snickered at his reaction. Such a pitiful mortal, scared as he should be before the Supreme Overlord of Ice.

After a moment, the boy called Kazuichi Souda crawled to his car's door and wheeled down the window. Now, Gundham could see his face much better, lit up by the moonlight above the both of them. _What a strange colour, his eyes,_ he thought. _I only see such vibrancy in beasts_. Souda's eyes glowed a soft, shimmery silver like the embroidery in a baby's blanket. If only the moonlight brought out such mellowness with his car's rust.

'... What do you want?'

Souda's voice was opposite of mellow, too. It came out raspy and harsh, along with the narrowed eyes he was pointing at Gundham.

'Mortal, the spirits of Earth have communicated with me. They told me that you are in need of dire assistance, and it is no fair if I, Gundham Tanaka, denied someone so lowly. Simply put, it is not fair.'

'Simply put, _why_.'

Gundham scoffed at Souda's ridiculous response. 'Are you trying to mock me? When I try to help you?'

'Whatever. I don't need help.' Souda rolled his eyes and recoiled back into his seat.

'Is that why you have not returned back to your realm yet?'

Souda blinked at him, before peering out of his window again and pointing at his car's wheels. They were still in the same, deflated condition, with the material being stretched past its limit and breaking off into deep ravines. 'I don't have any spare wheels, and since I'm in the middle of nowhere I can't exactly get any.'

'Have you not tried calling the chauffeurs of the dark?'

'Whoever you're talking about, I can't call them. Who's gonna be around at God knows what time it is?'

Gundham was close to facepalming. There were _plenty_ of people who could get this mortal home with the right amount of money. Even so, he could not disappoint his Dark Lady and storm off. He had to get this fool back to where he belonged (wherever that was).

'I see. Your situation is quite insignificant to me, but I suppose my offer still stands. Do you wish for me to guide you home?'

Souda stared at him for a few seconds. His narrowed eyes had ever-so-slightly widened, and his frown flattened out. He was harmless under the moon's gleam once more.

'Okay, sure, I don't really have much else of a choice.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!!! hopefully i can update soon:)
> 
> kudos + comments r always appreciated!!<3


	3. "returning home... for now"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kazuichi ponders in the drive's silence.

Kazuichi felt a bit stupid.  
  
Scratch that, he felt _hella_ stupid. What was he doing, accepting a ride from someone he doesn't even know? Maybe it was desperateness. His dad was already blowing up his phone, asking him where his car was, and Kazuichi was beginning to feel full on panic settle in. He couldn't handle being stuck wherever he was anymore; he needed to get out.  
  
Maybe that's why he decided to take a risk.  
  
In the end, Kazuichi didn't believe Tanaka would harm him. As strangely as he spoke, Kazuichi saw in the awkwardness of his offer that Tanaka didn't want to go through with it. That meant he didn't have any bad intentions with him. It still begged the question as to why he did end up coming back; Kazuichi would figure that out later. _Actually, no, why did he come back? He didn't even know if I was still here!  
  
_ Literally _any_ other person wouldn't have looked back, and Tanaka wasn't the selfless type (from what Kazuichi has seen). Tanaka spoke highly of himself despite causing their predicament, which he still wouldn't admit to, and treats Kazuichi as if some hopeless peasant. Sure, he might as well be one, but it still pissed him off.  
  
Kazuichi's cheeks began to burn again. As rude as Tanaka was, he was still dressed sleekly, while there was Kazuichi, covered in the waste of cars. Tanaka had a fine, purple scarf pooling from his neck alongside a spotless black jacket, and Kazuichi was stuck in a dirty, green jumpsuit. Not only that, Tanaka's car looked smooth, albeit for the scratches (which was incredibly lucky, compared to Kazuichi).  
  
_I could probably fix it up for him back at my shop._  
  
Oh, what was Kazuichi thinking? He wanted nothing to do with this guy. Because of Tanaka, he was gonna receive hell from his father and be working long hours at the shop anyway. As much as Kazuichi enjoyed tinkering with cars, he was _not_ going to help Tanaka. The more Kazuichi looked at his grey, pale face, the more he wanted to run.

Well, he couldn't, seeing as he was already in the backseat of Tanaka's Camry. The two hadn't said a word to each other while Tanaka was driving, so everything was quiet, except for the barking of whatever the hell was at the front. Tanaka, for whatever reason, had also called a tow truck for Kazuichi's car. Kazuichi didn't have any energy to object as he watched it get taken away—it's not like he could've driven it home. He would have to ask to pick it up again later.

As troublesome as the aftermath was, Tanaka had once again acted kind. Kazuichi was feeling even more weirded out by the turn of events. When Tanaka had first left, he really didn't expect him to come back, after all, that's what everyone did. No stranger thinks of helping another, and in Kazuichi's case, that wasn't limited to strangers.

He felt pissed. Pissed that he let himself be at the mercy of someone else, pissed that he couldn't help himself. _How useless can I get?_ he thought bitterly, crossing his arms. The feeling only heightened when the sting of tears hit at his eyes. How was Tanaka able to be so cool?

_It's only 'cuz the damage isn't so bad for him,_ he reassured himself, or more so attempted to. The more he looked at Tanaka, the weirder he'd get, he was sure.

That was how Kazuichi ended up staring at Tanaka while he drove. He spent each minute analysing the stranger's features, from his position in his chair to the bone structure in his cheeks. He was careful not to let the other notice him, quickly glancing away and fumbling with his hands whenever Tanaka's head would move. As soon as Kazuichi was sure Tanaka wasn't watching, he'd go right back to staring.

_His hands are so big... it's really... weird._ Kazuichi held out his own hand to compare. His hand was dirty, muddy even from all the work he did in his shop. Tanaka, on the other hand, had even colour spread throughout his skin. Said colour was an unnatural grey shade. _Yep, he's a total freak. He looks like a mannequin like that._

'Is something the matter?'

Kazuichi jolted up. His eyes met the reflection of Tanaka's, who was gazing at him through the rearview mirror.

'Uh, yeah man, why?'

'You seem to be quite fixated on your hand.'

Kazuichi bit the inside of his burning cheek. 'Well, nothing's wrong. Don't worry about it.'

Tanaka squinted his eyes at him quizzically, but didn't say anything.

_Man... why did this weirdo get to be tall? I'm completely normal,_ I _should be taller one,_ Kazuichi thought bitterly as he begun his Tanaka analysis again. He remembered the incident from earlier, where both boys were out in the open, and it was clear Tanaka stood taller than him. Tanaka could easily tower over him, too. Kazuichi scoffed quietly. He didn't want to have to tilt his head upwards to look into those heterochromatic eyes, painted a striking red and grey—wait, a red eye was not natural. Neither was a grey one. Did Tanaka wear contacts?

There was no way he'd allow himself to feel helpless under such a... man. It was wrong. Kazuichi was strong, so even if Tanaka was trying to intimidate him with his vampire get-up, Kazuichi wouldn't allow it. No matter how built Tanaka was, or his height, or his pointed glares, Kazuichi would make sure Tanaka paid him the full price to fix his own car, and possibly get out of paying for Tanaka's. _Possibly_.

— ✿ —

'Is this the realm in which you and your kin reign?'

Kazuichi peered out the window as the Camry came to a stop. It had been a long drive, and Tanaka's words were the first to be spoken in a while. _I'm home, though, and that's all that matters._

His heart rate sped up even more. Kazuichi turned to Tanaka to thank him:

'Yeah, this is the place. Thanks for driving me home.'

His gratitude came out stifled, but it would have to do. It was still pretty awkward, since they had only met a few hours earlier via a car accident. Not to mention their instant argument.

Kazuichi opened the car's door and got out, taking in the house that stood before him. It was a shabby thing, with each wall dull alongside the withered plants in the garden. His family's bike shop was directly next to it, the doors closed and the windows showing no sign of life inside. Kazuichi glanced back at Tanaka, who nodded solemnly. _Why's he acting so grave?_

Kazuichi watched the car drive away and exhaled a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding—for some reason, being around that guy made him tense. The feeling hastily returned when he spun back around.

If luck was on his side, which it hadn't been lately, his parents would both be asleep. He'd then crawl through the back door and into his room, or make a year's worth of bikes in preparation for the next morning. Unfortunately, the second idea wasn't possible. His family had already been running low on materials so there wouldn't be enough for more bikes. Kazuichi ran his hand through his hair.

So, sobbing into his pillow it was.

Kazuichi treaded past the garden, careful not to catch his feet on any stones disguised as plain darkness. Even when he did scrape his leg against a stray brick, he kept in his groans as to not draw any attention. His existence was completely masked by the night and the droning of crickets.

His chest fell at the sight of his back door. Just like the bike shop, there was no light buzzing inside. Kazuichi was safe. At least till morning. _That's enough to prepare myself for whatever the hell they're gonna say to me,_ he thought. _I think._

Kazuichi headed inside the house. Seeing the faint outline of the hallway, he snuck through it until he found his room. The only light in there was the dimmed sparkle of gears and wrenches, scattered across the floor, not to mention his wide-open toolbox. Kazuichi cringed at how they were left out in the open for so long. He would have to deal with that in the morning.

As soon as he was under his blanket, Kazuichi pulled out his phone. There were the many missed calls he was expecting, save from a singular message. _Huh._ He didn't really text anyone, besides for the bots that would bug him regarding data bills. Then again, sometimes scammers would pop up and give Kazuichi a laugh.

That must mean the person who had texted him was a scammer. The bots already had contact names in his phone, but the message was labeled with random numbers. Kazuichi rubbed at his eyes before opening it. Scammers must have some boring night lives to be texting _him_.

_Mortal. The coming hebdomad is when I am at my prime. As such, I await for when you are ready to be in my presence once more._

Kazuichi only had one question. _When the fuck did Satan have_ Messages _?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEBDOMAD MEANS WEEK i dont trust google to be helpful w defining it tho...... ne ways kazuichi stop thinking so badly of the world pleaz


	4. "digital is much easier than real life"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gundham learns some things from kazuichi's... interesting texting style. interesting to him, anyway.

Gundham's eyelids were drooping. They had been for the past hour. However, he, the Supreme Overlord of Ice, refused to give in. He would _not_ fall asleep before that lesser being replied to his coded memorandum.

Besides for wakefulness clawing away at him, staying up late wasn't horrible. It had a multitude of benefits, Gundham thought, such as natural dark circles, privacy, and the company of his Four Dark Devas of Destruction. As long as the moon was in the sky, his Dark Devas were powered up. Even when direct communication was void, the sound of them scrabbling kept his chambers alive.

If only it could only hinder his impatience. Gundham lived a fair bit away from Souda, so he assumed Souda arriving home first gave him more time to reply. _Mortals do not understand urgency even if it were to show its belly to them,_ Gundham realised with a defeated breath.

He looked down from his bed when he heard a squeak. There was Cham-P, gazing up at him. Once the Deva realised he had his master's attention, he kept chirping.

Gundham nodded in acknowledgement. 'You may be right, Cham-P. Perhaps he has already gone to the dimension of unconsciousness.'

The possibility didn't ease his anticipation.

Stretching his arms, Gundham rose from the comfort of his bed. He had only arrived home a few minutes earlier and was still in his outfit. _I shall go cleanse myself, and hopefully then will that mortal send me a sign. If not, I will rain fire onto his realm. No one dare ghosts Gundham Tanaka!_

(He had learnt the term 'ghosting' from Sonia, who, in turn, had learnt it from her friend Chiaki. He still questioned the slang's use.)

With that, Gundham left his phone on his desk and shrugged off his jacket. He then carefully strung his scarf up on a rack. Once his clothes were completely off, he headed into the shower.

— ✿ —

When he was ready, Gundham departed from his bathroom with a towel around his hair and another around his waist. As his home was clear of human existence, aside from his mortal form, Gundham was fine staying in the towels for a little while longer. His mother wouldn't return until next sunrise anyway.

He went back into his room and his Dark Devas sprinted up to him. Gundham gave them a gentle smile before retreating back into his bed, pulling his phone with him. It was the moment of truth. The moment where the fate of Earth would be sealed, and it all depended on the stranger boy.

Gundham's eyes widened. The Earth had been saved—he had received a new notification from Kazuichi Souda.

_i really do not get what ur saying man_

Perhaps the Earth was doomed to burn after all. Gundham bit his lip out of pure frustration before texting back.

 _I didn't expect much from you, but you have already managed to fail me. What I said was that my time is not compromised, so I am willing to make arrangements with you next week._

As soon as that message sent, another popped right up.

_ok dang i'm sorry  
_  
_i'm free too next week, but i know an easier way of handling things  
_  
Gundham raised an eyebrow.

_And that is?_

 _u being oh so kind and telling me u don't want me to pay_

_sounds good right?_

 _You're a fool._

Souda's proposition was so absurd, Gundham chuckled. What an adverse idea. However, he admired his courage to ask.  
  
 _it was worth a try ig_

_What is this, 'ig'?  
_

_it means i guess u grandpa_

_I may be stuck in a mortal form, but my soul is timeless and will roam until mankind itself has dissipated._

_i was kidding bruh_

_Your language lacks eloquence.  
_

In saying that, Gundham had to admit it was amusing to read. Souda's messaging style reminded him of the Dark Princess, although it flowed quite naturally compared to her's. Either way, both styles were still a mystery to him. Another laugh slipped from his lips. _  
  
_As time went on, Gundham's eyes burned more. It seems as if hell was finally catching up with him, but he would not bow down yet. That Souda persona intrigued Gundham the more he wrote. He had still not gotten around to finalising a meeting, way too deep in a conversation about methods of transportation.

Usually, Gundham was not interested in such lowly topics. Tonight was not usually, he noticed, reading Souda's messages intently. He found out the boy felt sick when roused by motion, a horrible case of irony as he enjoyed building vehicles. The building Gundham had observed next to Souda's house was his family's bike shop, although they weren't getting many customers.

_tbh i would've just fixed up my car myself, but we don't have a lot of stuff rn_ , Souda's text read. Gundham felt that strange feeling pipe up again, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came.

_That's too bad. Had you did, I would've asked for you to fix mine too._

_yeah_

_also aren't u gonna sleep soon?_

That reminded Gundham of something. He needed to get dressed. He had spent the last hour or so texting Souda in just two towels, and only one of them was around his form.

_Mortal, grant me a few seconds. I have forgotten to get into my nightly garments._

_??????? what?_

_ur naked?????????_

_tmi_

Gundham set his phone aside as he slid on some black pyjamas. Said phone beeped away on his table.

Once he had clothes on and the towels were tossed aside, he began texting again.

_I merely mentioned it. I did not send you any digital evidence, so please remain calm._

_ohshit yeah sorry_

_u just caught me offguard_ _cause like_

_i haven't even known u for a day yet  
_

_I suppose you're correct in that regard._

The two started another normal conversation again. It was now Gundham's turn to disclose his personal life and his purpose in society. Souda didn't seem to believe him at first when he said he took care of demonic beasts (with a ' _yeah? lol_ '), but Gundham had a secret weapon up his sleeve. His Dark Devas were still sparring underneath his bed.  
  
Lowering his arm over the side of the bed, he waited until he felt mass crawl into his hand. When Gundham raised his hand back up, he recognised the fluffy mass as Jum-P. He snapped a photo of the Deva and sent it to Souda, awaiting his reaction.  
  
 _wth  
  
its so small  
  
__show me more  
  
_ Gundham grinned triumphantly. He knew no one could resist the wicked charm of his Devas, it being one of their hellish powers. Letting Jum-P hop down onto the ground again, he scooped up Maga-Z and San-D. Like Jum-P, he took a photo of the two and sent them Souda's way.  
  
_are they are soft as they look????  
  
man i did not expect this from u_

_Are you implying my Devas are meek? If so, you are incorrect. They have wreaked chaos onto their villages and shunned species into hiding!_

_ok cool show me more  
  
_ Gundham happily complied with the request. He sent a picture of the last Deva, Cham-P, and mentioned that his other beasts were not in the room with him.  
  
 _you don't have any other nocturnal pets?_

_I'm surprised you're aware of that concept._

_i'm not stupid ya know_

_I do, but I do not keep them in my private chamber. They are elsewhere within my realm. Do not worry, they are safe._

_coolio_

_That being said, I am not nocturnal, and neither are you. I shall be heading off to sleep now._

_damn, for real?:(  
  
_ Gundham pursed his lips. As knowledgeable as he was, the lesser being's messages never failed to puzzle him.

_:(?  
_

_it's a frowny face  
  
_ _nvm forget it  
  
_ _night gundham  
  
_ _sorry *tanaka the forbidden one  
_

_It is okay. Good night to you as well, Souda. Please let me know when we are able to meet to pay for our vehicles._

_yeah ofc. see u later  
  
_ The phone's screen vanished into darkness. Gundham placed it on his bedside table and pulled the blankets over him, his eyelids collapsing in relief.  
  
Before he fell asleep, his name in Souda's text flashed in his mind.


	5. "off and away"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kazuichi reflects on himself before sleeping. the next morning isn't so fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! content warning for abuse n homophobia in this chapter
> 
> ill put a warning for whenever there may be something triggering

Kazuichi knew there was something very wrong with him. Very, _very_ wrong. And it sucked.  
  
It sucked that he was aware of it. It was the reason he was still awake even though Tanaka had already left him alone.  
  
So, what was the thing wrong with Kazuichi Souda?  
  
He didn't want to say. He truly didn't want this thought plaguing his mind. It was dirty, it was disgusting, and Kazuichi felt ashamed for even entertaining it.  
  
What was an alright night had turned into a nightmare, all because Gundham Tanaka had mentioned he was naked. God, Kazuichi really didn't know what Tanaka got up to in his free time, but now he was facing the repercussions of imagining a man naked. Why couldn't his stupid, _stupid_ mind just leave Tanaka's personal life alone and think about anything else?  
  
He didn't even know the guy that well. And, not to mention, he's a _guy._ How abnormal could Kazuichi get?  
  
Kazuichi scrunched up the blanket he was clutching. As per usual, he was happy his father couldn't see him right now. It wasn't like Kazuichi could help it! He was the type of guy to fully flesh out words written before him, so Tanaka's text was no exception. Hell, who even can prepare for that sorta bomb?  
  
 _Kazuichi. Man. It's not that big of a deal. Calm down.  
  
_ It wasn't Kazuichi's fault he spent some extra time thinking about how Tanaka's build would show. He was already tall enough, but Kazuichi couldn't exactly tell what his body shape was like underneath his layers of clothes. He hit his head again.  
  
 _Yes it is! It's a huge deal! What kinda pervert even thinks about that stuff? I don't wanna! There's already enough wrong with me!  
  
_ He had heard plenty of stories from his dad about people who lust over men. People being men specifically. They were freaks of nature, unnatural for wanting to find love in someone who couldn't even have their own children.  
  
'And if they do have kids, they won't look like 'em,' his dad had said gruffly. 'Would they be really their kids, huh?'  
  
Kazuichi was not about to do that to himself. He wasn't going to allow his thought to grow into something much more sinister.  
  
_This sucks,_ he thought solemnly as he scrolled through their conversation. He had known Tanaka was weird from the start, and because of him Kazuichi was now in such a dilemma. _Who the hell tells a stranger when they're naked?  
  
_ Kazuichi then deleted Tanaka's message, the one saying that he had 'forgotten to get into his nightly garments'. Whatever the hell that means. _What a weirdo._ Even if Tanaka himself could still read it, at least it was purged from Kazuichi's mind.  
  
As he was scrolling back down, Kazuichi stopped at the photos of Tanaka's hamsters. They were considerably less freaky than his imagination, and were most definitely cute. His lips turned upwards as he saved the images. Tanaka, shockingly, seemed to know his stuff about animals. The two of them had had a detailed discussion about hamster breeds alongside the best ways to keep them. Kazuichi thought a metal enclosed cage was best, but Tanaka told him that it didn't matter as long as they had enough space.

Well, there was more to it than that. Tanaka had gone on a tangent about the ridiculous sights he'd seen, and how they infuriated him, one being the time he saw a hamster's cage next to a T.V. When Kazuichi had asked why it was a problem, Tanaka went on about how hamsters were easily stressed by vibrations. It was impressive how much Tanaka knew, but at the same time, it deterred Kazuichi from ever raising a pet. _I can't even take care of myself!_

While it was great Tanaka got to rant about animals and stuff, Kazuichi had also found relief in talking about machines. Tanaka, for some reason, had allowed him to go on and on about his favourite cars and his dream to buy them. Though, Kazuichi constantly stopped himself as he was typing. Each time, before he sent a text, he'd cut down the words while biting his lip. 

He had never really planned out about what to say about cars. In the past, he was lucky to get past mentioning their models. That didn't matter now. As soon as Tanaka would acknowledge one of his tangents, Kazuichi already had another one for him to read through.

Kazuichi sighed and picked up his phone again. _Nope. No notifications._ _Tanaka sure went to sleep easily._

Even so, Kazuichi consistently found himself turning his phone on and off like a broken circuit. The clicking was the only thing drifting through his room, minus the cold draughts. He shuddered when they hit his skin. He tried to pull his blanket over him but winced when it came off his feet—compared to his body, the blanket was short. Kazuichi moved it so that it barely covered his feet again. _That's gonna have to do._

His pyjamas consisted of scratchy shorts and a shirt, both dull with age. Every night he tried to nestle into the worn fabric, although it was never enough with how cold it got.

_What does Tanaka wear when he sleeps?_

The question struck him suddenly, and consciousness fully reeled in again. His outfit seemed like a pain in the ass to get into, so were his nightclothes as bizarre? Kazuichi did definitely see him going full-out for bed. It wasn't as if he didn't notice Tanaka's intense eyeliner, either. Kazuichi chuckled at the thought of Tanaka refusing to wipe off the make-up or even take out his contact.

Tanaka was a sort of person Kazuichi had never seen before. He'd never seen someone take up such an irregular persona before or dress themselves the way Tanaka did. It only made him wonder about what sort of upbringing Tanaka had. His town must've been a completely different world, 'cause when Kazuichi had just _dyed_ his hair his former classmates gawked at him as if he'd grown a new head. He frowned at the memory. While they had gotten used to it, some chicks had even tried _hitting_ on him, his parents would always look down at him with disdain. Not a day would pass in his dad's shop without the senior telling Kazuichi his hair was bug repellent. That was the better side of things.

His mother rarely said anything, and instead shuffled away from him whenever he'd come close.

_God, I need to get rid of it,_ Kazuichi contemplated as he twirled a strand of pink. As much as Tanaka stood out, none of his features were bright aside from his lone red eye. That's probably how he got away with looking like that. He also enjoyed being that way—the guy was consistent as fuck while texting Kazuichi, so he really wouldn't be surprised if he did wear his make-up and contact to bed.

Kazuichi's hair was like Velcro against his fingers. Its frizz was sprawled constantly, and whenever he'd look in a mirror he'd grumble about how much it stood out. The colour was chemical waste.

He closed his eyes with a scowl on his face. If he was lucky, the dye would fade away by the time he woke up.

— ✿ —

It felt like only a minute had passed when Kazuichi was shoved off his mattress.

'You fucking sponger! Where the fuck is it?'

And only a second passed when he was gripped again.

'Huh?' he whispered groggily, his sight still blurry. The voice spitting at him was far-too-familiar for him to not recognise.

'The car, you prick! Where's the car?'

Kazuichi blinked at his dad heavy-eyed. The car. _Oh shit, the car._

'Lemme explain—'

'Just _tell me_ , dammit!'

'I don't know! It was towed away!'

'What do you mean, "towed away"? What the hell happened?'

Kazuichi bit his quivering lip. He couldn't help it. As hard and stone-faced as he tried to be around his father, his ever-increasing voice scratched at him.

He glanced desperately at his mother who was leaning against his open door. She shook her head and walked away. His attention shot back to his father when the pressure around his shoulders grew tighter.

'I got into an accident yesterday,' Kazuichi spluttered. Fuck, he hated how high-pitched his voice was, but he couldn't hide it from his dad.

'An _accident_? You mongrel, what were you doing out there?'

The boy didn't have time to answer before his father started yelling again.

'You're fucking _stupid_ , you know that? I had some hope for you when the only thing you're good at is getting your hands greasy, but you manage to fuck _that_ up too? When I see other families' sons, they're not nearly as half-assed as you are!'

Kazuichi let out a yelp when a force collided with his ribs. He fell backwards in his already cracking wall, doubled over in pain. It wasn't long before his dad's hand swung at his back. Kazuichi reached to cover his back as well but whenever his hands would go to one place, his father's would hit at another. His own gasps were cut off by the air that'd rush out of his mouth.

'I'm sorry,' he choked out when his father finally stepped away. The older man didn't reply but Kazuichi got his response from his creased eyebrows and tense neck. His lower lip was popped out, exposing his yellow teeth.

'You better get that car back soon if you know what's good for you, boy,' the dad said. His voice was lower than moments earlier but, with spit flying out from each word, Kazuichi's skin prickled. His own anger was burning in his stomach, yet he didn't dare say anything.

That's how Kazuichi ended up crawling into his mattress again and crying. His father had already slammed the door on him so he was left alone with just him and his tears.

_He's right. That old fucking bastard is right._

He was stupid. He already knew that. There was Kazuichi, at the ripe age of eighteen, and he was still living with his parents and not going anywhere with his life. Sure, he had the bike shop, but it meant jack shit when customers ran low. He had also crashed the only car his family owned and left it in the hands of a stranger; it was a miracle he didn't cop it worse from his dad.

The metallic taste of his blood was indifferent to Kazuichi. It was from his own lip, split open from the biting. He was thankful for it in a way as it distracted him from his cramped house. His walls seemed to get closer to him with each passing day, and each room was just some space closer to his parents.

_I need to get outta here._

Kazuichi pulled himself up, trying to ignore the wetness on his cheeks. He pulled off his clothes and exchanged them for something slightly more presentable. In spite of his body aching, he managed to stumble out of his bedroom and his home, avoiding the glares of his parents. He wished he could avoid the sharp insults his father hurled at him.

He passed by his bike shop. It wasn't open, so it must still be early in the morning. Kazuichi's dad wouldn't be that harsh on him right before he needed to tend to customers.

Well, whenever he did open the shop, Kazuichi hoped it wouldn't close till late.

He winced when his pocket vibrated. _Huh. Only one person that could be._

Kazuichi pulled his phone out and sighed. He wasn't going to be left alone even when he fled his own house.

... Except the notification wasn't from his dad. It was from Gundham Tanaka.

He swallowed back his own surprise and opened it. At least the strange guy would give him something else to focus on.

_Good morning, mortal. Has your mind given any thought about when thou art willing to be within my space? Or, perhaps, your Magic Essence is too weak to even try to shield away my overwhelming power?_

Kazuichi rubbed at his eyes, reading the text again. He was relieved for the sheer ridiculousness that was Tanaka. That man was a whole dimension different from his upfront, blunt family.

_hey, good morning_

_i'm free rn. i don't have much to do today_

He didn't even know if that was a lie or not. His father made it clear he didn't want to see Kazuichi, but he wasn't sure whether he was meant to be back at the shop or if the man wanted him gone for a while longer. It didn't change the apprehension that Kazuichi felt whenever he'd think about home.

_It seems as if the stars have aligned for I as well am free. I am devoid of any instructions under higher institutions._

Kazuichi didn't have time to question what he meant. A perfect opportunity to get out from his neighbourhood had presented itself to him.

_sweet!_

_where do u wanna meet? do i live close to u?_

_Not exactly. However, I believe we can cross paths in the middle of our dimensions._

_Are you aware of this establishment?_

Tanaka then sent a link, which Kazuichi clicked on. It opened up the website of a café that wasn't too far from him. Still, it was some distance away.

_i can't say i've been to it before_

_it's def not in my town, but i think i'll be able to get there_

_Fantastic. In that case, I shall carry myself over and await you there._

_sounds g:)_

Kazuichi saved the link in his phone and steered himself to the nearest bus stop. He had pocketed enough money to get him to and fro, and hopefully it'd be enough for him to survive in a café.

_It's better than nothing,_ Kazuichi thought as he got into a bus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not really sure if im writing kazuichi's home life well, so i apologise if i handled anything poorly
> 
> hopefully things will be a little more lighthearted again in the next chapter:)


End file.
